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HomeMy WebLinkAboutb5uspostalservice FROM: J. Christine Dietrick, City Attorney SUBJECT: UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE RESOLUTION RECOMMENDATION Pursuant to Council direction, consider a proposed resolution presented for consideration by a representative of the California State Association of Letter Carriers, which is outside the scope of the City’s adopted Legislative Platform. DISCUSSION The California State Association of Letter Carriers has asked that the City of San Luis Obispo support the Postal Service Protection Act of 2013 by adopting the attached resolution. The proposed resolution supports United States Senate Bill S.316: Postal Service Protection Act of 2013. S.316 represents postal reform legislation that is intended, among other things, to recalculate and restore retirement annuity obligations of the United States Postal Service, eliminate the requirement that the United States Postal Service prefund in the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund, place restrictions on the closure of postal facilities, create incentives for innovation for the United States Postal Service, and maintain levels of postal service. The California State Association of Letter Carriers believes that S.316 would allow the Postal Service to manage its budget more effectively, be more competitive with other delivery service providers, protect many jobs, and prohibit cuts to Saturday mail service. Attachment 1, Library of Congress Summary of Bill S.316, is an impartial analysis of the bill and is provided for your review. Staff consulted the League of California Cities website and the League does not have an analysis of or position on this proposed legislation. This matter does not fall within the City’s adopted legislative platform. In general, the City’s legislative platform includes issues related to the interests of local control and minimizing outside influences on City budgeting, operational and pension decisions and typically does not encompass the operational, budgeting and pension decisions of outside agencies unless there are specific local impacts. FISCAL IMPACT None anticipated. ATTACHMENTS 1. Library of Congress Summary of U.S. Senate Bill S.316: Postal Service Protection Act of 2013 Meeting Date Item Number 2/18/14 B5 B5 - 1 Postal Service Protection Act Resolution Page 2 2. Draft Resolution t:\council agenda reports\2014\2014-02-18\us postal service resolution (dietrick)\car.us postal service resolution.docx B5 - 2 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS SUMMARY The summary below was written by the Congressional Research Service, which is a nonpartisan division of the Library of Congress. 2/13/2013--Introduced. Postal Service Protection Act of 2013 - Sets forth rules for the recalculation of annuities for employees of the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) and for the redetermination of surplus or supplemental liabilities under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). Prescribes the "average pay" to be used in calculating annuities and surplus amounts. Authorizes the transfer of surplus postal retirement contributions in FY2013 to the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund, the Postal Service Fund, and the Employees' Compensation Fund under the Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) and to USPS for payment of its debt obligations. Eliminates the requirement for pre-funding of the Postal Service Retiree Health Benefits Fund. Sets forth criteria for the closing or consolidation of postal facilities. Allows USPS to provide any nonpostal service or product in a manner consistent with the public interest. Provides for the mailing of wine and beer sent by a licensed winery or brewery in accordance with the laws of the state, territory, or district where the addressee or agent takes delivery. Establishes in USPS the position of the Chief Innovation Officer who shall have proven expertise and success in the postal and shipping industry and in innovation, marketing, technology, and management. Establishes a Postal Innovation Advisory Commission. Requires the Postmaster General to report to specified congressional committees and the Postal Regulatory Commmission on a comprehensive strategy for maximizing USPS revenue through innovative postal and nonpostal products and services. Prohibits USPS from reducing the frequency of mail delivery to fewer than six days each week or from increasing the expected delivery time for market-dominant products. ATTACHMENT 1 B5 - 3 ATTACHMENT 2 R _____ RESOLUTION No. ____ (2014 Series) A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO SUPPORTING THE POSTAL SERVICE PROTECTION ACT WHEREAS, the U.S. Postal Service is a vital component of this country's economic and communications infrastructure handling and delivering 160 billion pieces of mail and generating more than $65 billion in revenues annually, while receiving no taxpayer funding; and WHEREAS, the mailing industry, which employs 8 million Americans, generates over $1 trillion dollars annually, and represents approximately seven percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product, depends on the U.S. Postal Service's invaluable mail processing, retail and last-mile delivery networks 6 days a week; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Postal Service is the only private company or federal agency required by Congress to pre-fund future retiree health benefits for 75 years, requiring $5.5 billion dollars to be paid annually. In addition, the health benefits for postal retirees is fully funded with billions of dollars in excess, so there is no need to require a crippling $5.5 billion additional annual payment that is causing unnecessary service cuts; and WHEREAS, protecting voting by mail, which is now commonplace in California, is essential to our democracy; and WHEREAS, the US Postal Service is the second largest employer of US Veterans in the country with over 22% of its employees United States Veterans; and WHEREAS, rural communities, many of which do not have access to the Internet, remain dependent on the Postal Service for vital communications and for the shipment of goods; and WHEREAS, small businesses along with many Americans, particularly seniors, depend on the Postal Service for receipt of their prescription drugs. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the San Luis Obispo City Council urges Senator Barbara Boxer and Senator Dianne Feinstein to support postal reform legislation that would 1) secure the continuance of 6-day mail delivery; 2) stabilize the Postal Service's finances by reforming or eliminating future retiree health financing policies that are crippling the Postal Service's finances; 3) strengthen and protect the Postal Service's invaluable mail processing, retail and last-mile delivery networks that together comprise a crucial part of the nation's infrastructure; and 4) retain door-to-door delivery for 30 million plus households and businesses; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the San Luis Obispo City Council transmit copies of this resolution to Senator Barbara Boxer and Senator Dianne Feinstein, and to the United States Postmaster General. B5 - 4 Resolution No. xxxxx (2014 Series) ATTACHMENT 2 Page 2 T:\Council Agenda Reports\2014\2014-02-18\Postal Service Protection Act (Dietrick)\Resolution.docx Upon motion of __________, seconded by __________, and on the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: The foregoing resolution was adopted this _____ day of February 2014. _________________________ Mayor Jan Marx ATTEST: _____________________________ Anthony J. Mejia, CMC City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: _____________________________ J. Christine Dietrick City Attorney B5 - 5 Page intentionally left blank. B5 - 6 Goodwin, Heather From: Marx, Jan R EC;;_-I a a F_: D FEB 18 2014 c !_0 Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 12:20 PM To: Pat Harris; Christianson, Carlyn; Ashbaugh, John; Smith, Kathy; Carpenter, Dan Cc: Mejia, Anthony; Goodwin, Heather Subject: RE: Support for US Postal Service Resolution Thank you for your comments on this important issue, Pat. I am including our city clerk staff in this response, so your message is posted on the city website as Agenda Correspondence and becomes part of the record. All the Best, Jan Jan Howell Marx Mayor of San Luis Obispo (805) 781 -7120 or (805) 541 -2716 AGENDA CORRESPONDENCE Date. j I� eM# From: Pat Harris [pharris.slo @gmail.com] Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 12:15 PM To: Christianson, Carlyn; Ashbaugh, John; Smith, Kathy; Marx, Jan; Carpenter, Dan Subject: Support for US Postal Service Resolution Dear Council Members, I am writing to urge your support of Item 135 on tonight's agenda. I know that as the last item on a crowded agenda, you may not feel it is important, but it really is. The Postal Service is an important part of our daily lives and the lives of everyone in the community. Cutbacks would particularly effect many veterans who work for the USPS, the people in rural areas who depend on the mail for communications and delivery of goods, and especially the 46% of the County population who are registered as permanent vote by mail voters. I hope you will vote in favor of this resolution and support an American institution in its battle to avoid being taken over and run by private corporations. Sincerely, Pat Harris 218 Via La Paz SLO 805.440.4426 4 fl Goodwin, Heather FEB 19 2014 Subject: FW: US Postal Resolution submitted by Joe Gibson From: Sandra Mathias [mailto:lassofleprechaun @ att.net] Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2014 8:24 AM To: Mejia, Anthony Subject: Fw: US Postal Resolution submitted by Joe Gibson To Anthony Mejia, City Clerk AGENDA CORRESPONDENCE Date 2/1 /L,Lltem# Please correct my letter of support listed in agenda correspondence to oppose legislation contrary to their interests rather than propose. Thank you! Sandra Mathias Corrected below - - - -- Forwarded Message - - - -- From: Sandra Mathias <IassofleprechaunCa.att.net> To: "ImarxQslocity.org" <jmarx slocity.org> Cc: "lash baug(ab-slocity.org" <'ashbaug(@- slocity.org> Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 2:37 PM Subject: US Postal Resolution submitted by Joe Gibson Dear Mayor Marx, I fully support this resolution by Joe Gibson. NARFE has thousands of postal employee members and continues to lobby on their behalf. Please forward the resolution with your support to national legislators and protect our postal workers in San Luis Obispo. Respectfully submitted, Sandra Mathias President NARFE San Luis Obispo County Chapter 1028 The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association is dedicated to protecting the benefits of federal employees. It is our mission to support legislation beneficial to current and potential federal annuitants and to oppose legislation contrary to their interests. www.NARFE.org, www.NARFESIochapter1028.org.